Hayden, B.; Bassiakos, Y.; Kalpaxis, Th.; Sarris, A.; Tsipopoulou, M., "Priniatikos Pyrgos. A Primary Harbor Settlement and Emporium in Eastern Crete", Expedition , University of Pennsylvania, vol. 3, no. 48, pp. 33–39.
riniatikos pyrgos, a coastal settlement in eastern Crete, sits upon a limestone promontory in the center of a broad beach. Its location—at the nexus of cross-island routes and near rich coastal valleys with abundant water—makes its protected anchorage an ideal spot for a trading emporium. Discoveries here in the early 20th century indicated that the site had stratified archaeological deposits ranging from at least the Bronze Age (3rd and 2nd millennium BC) through to the Roman period (1st century BC–5th century AD). This suggests that it may have been the primary harbor along the west-central coast of the Gulf of Mirabello for thousands of years. In 2002 we initiated the Istron Geoarchaeological Project to explore the Istron River Valley and the region around Priniatikos Pyrgos. Our aim is to understand the nature of this region, its environment, and the role this site played in its cultural development. Given its location and longevity, our research focuses on exploring Priniatikos Pyrgos to see what it might reveal concerning the cultural history of the region and its links with the Aegean over the last five millennia.
